How to send money to Hong Kong in 2026: dollars, yuan and buying a flat

In 2026 money is sent to a Hong Kong account by the bank's international code, a 3-digit bank code and the account number. The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar in the 7.75-7.85 band, so dollars, yuan and euros sit in one account without exchange, and deposits are protected up to $110,000.

In detail

Which transfers to Hong Kong go through now

All 5 routes below were checked on 8 October 2026. Dollars are calculated at 7.8 Hong Kong dollars per US dollar: the Hong Kong Monetary Authority keeps the rate in the 7.75-7.85 band, so the conversion changes little.

For a move, studies or buying a flat the first two rows are enough. If a direct transfer to Hong Kong from your country is slow or expensive, there are other working options: tell our manager about your situation, and they will choose a route for the amount and currency.

Hong Kong dollar, US dollar or yuan: which currency to send

Since 17 October 1983 the Hong Kong dollar has been pegged to the US dollar: the Monetary Authority buys dollars at 7.75 and sells at 7.85, and the rate does not leave this band. For the sender the dollar is almost equal to the local currency: a transfer in dollars to a multi-currency account arrives without exchange, and the money is exchanged into Hong Kong dollars on the spot.

Hong Kong is the main yuan settlement centre outside mainland China. Banks keep yuan accounts, and the local instant payment system moves yuan as fast as Hong Kong dollars. Yuan pay off for those who pay a supplier in China or receive revenue from there: the money is not exchanged twice.

The bank also credits euros, pounds, yen and other major currencies to a multi-currency account. Example: a family sends $150,000 from the sale of a business and keeps it in dollars, exchanging into Hong Kong dollars only $40,000 for the first year of rent and school, about HK$312,000. The rest stays unexchanged until a flat is bought.

Details for a transfer to Hong Kong: a bank code instead of an international account number

Hong Kong has no international account number as in Europe. For a transfer from another country the recipient gives 4 details: the bank's 8- or 11-character international code, the 3-digit bank code, the account number (with the branch code in it, usually 9 to 12 digits) and the owner's name exactly as at the bank.

A common mistake is leaving out the 3-digit bank code or putting it in the branch field. Then the transfer cannot find the account and comes back a few days later, and the sender loses on double exchange. Before sending, check that each code is in its own field and that the transfer currency matches the recipient's account currency.

Within Hong Kong a local instant payment system has worked since 17 September 2018: around the clock, in Hong Kong dollars and yuan, by phone number, email address or participant number. All of the city's banks and e-wallets are connected to it. It cannot be reached directly from another country, but a recipient with a Hong Kong account forwards money to a landlord, school or car seller in seconds.

Money from a money transfer system reaches the recipient's account or e-wallet in Hong Kong dollars. Such systems operate under a Hong Kong Customs licence and record the sender's full details from HK$8,000 ($1,100).

Gifts, inheritance and interest in Hong Kong: the tax position

Hong Kong has no gift tax, and estate duty was abolished on 11 February 2006. Parents can send their daughter any amount for a flat, and the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department will take nothing from it; the bank will ask for a letter from the giver and a statement of the account the money came from.

Interest on individuals' deposits and capital gains are not taxed. Salaries tax is charged only on income from work in Hong Kong: on a scale from 2% to 17% or at the standard rate of 15%, and 16% on the part of income above HK$5 million ($650,000). The scale and the HK$5 million threshold are covered in detail on the page taxes in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong taxes only income from Hong Kong sources. Dividends of a foreign company, rent from a flat in another country or interest on a foreign deposit that arrive in a Hong Kong account are not subject to local tax: the source of the income matters, not the bank where the money arrived. The tax of the country where you are a tax resident still applies and is calculated under its rules.

Deposits at banks in the protection scheme are insured up to HK$800,000 ($110,000) per person at each bank: the limit was raised from HK$500,000 on 1 October 2024. Capital above this amount is held at several banks or in securities in a separate account.

A flat in Hong Kong: stamp duty from HK$100

Since 28 February 2024 Hong Kong has removed the extra stamp duties for buyers without permanent residence and for second homes, and all buyers now pay on one scale. For a home up to HK$4 million ($520,000) the duty is HK$100 ($15), and above that the rate rises in steps from 1.5% to 4.25%.

Example: a flat for HK$8 million ($1.1 million) falls into the 3% step, and the duty is HK$240,000 ($31,000). Since 26 February 2026 the rate for homes above HK$100 million ($13 million) has risen to 6.5%.

The buyer sends the deposit under the preliminary agreement and the balance of the price to the account of the lawyer handling the deal, and the seller receives the money on transfer of title. A transfer from abroad is planned around the contract dates: the bank needs 1-3 business days plus time to check a large amount. Find out the transfer terms for your deal schedule from our manager, and how to choose a flat is described in the article how to buy a flat in Hong Kong and on the page property in Hong Kong.

How much you can send to Hong Kong and what the bank will ask

The law sets no limit on the amount of a transfer to Hong Kong: both $5,000 and $5 million go through as one transfer, and only the depth of the check changes as the amount grows. The three levels look like this:

• Up to $10,000. From HK$8,000 ($1,100), under the anti-money laundering law, a transfer carries the sender's name, account number and address or document number. The recipient's bank checks the name and credits the money.
• $10,000-100,000. The bank asks for the purpose and a document to match it: a lease, a school invoice, a letter from the giver. A Hong Kong bank checks a new client more closely than a long-standing one.
• From $100,000. The bank examines the source of the whole capital: the sale of a business or flat, an inheritance, income over years of work. Those investing from HK$30 million ($3.9 million) can use the investor programme on the page Hong Kong residence for investment.

Is the bank asking where the money came from? Our manager will tell you which papers a Hong Kong bank will accept and in what order to submit them. General rules are in the articles proof of source of funds and transferring a large amount abroad, and a step-by-step plan for moving all your capital is on the capital relocation page.

Onward from Hong Kong: where the money goes

Of the 4 directions below, the first is chosen most often. A Hong Kong account often serves as a transit point: suppliers in mainland China are paid from it in yuan, and capital is sent on to other financial centres. Most often money goes on here:

• To Singapore: Asia's second financial centre and family offices.
• To the Emirates: a free zone company and a home in Dubai.
• To the UK: children's studies and a flat in London.
• To the US: a brokerage account and university.

Sending money to neighbouring countries

• How to send money to China: yuan, cards and paying a supplier
• How to send money to Taiwan: new Taiwan dollars and studies
• How to send money to Japan: yen, rent and work
• How to send money to Vietnam: dong and family
• How to send money to the Philippines: pesos and relatives
• How to send money to Singapore: a financial centre with a deposit guarantee

How to move large capital to several countries at once is covered on the capital relocation page.

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